The concept for our design is globalism. The term “global”
brings to mind many different expressions, such as global thinking, global
learners, global experiences, and globalization. Globalism communicates the
idea of embracing varied cultures and citizens from all over the world; it
epitomizes the ideals of UNCG’s international programs. The concept of
globalism also conjures images of the physical globe itself – particularly its
spherical form and sloping contours.
When discussing the experience we wanted to create for
international students at UNCG, we wanted to ensure that they felt like an
integral part of the campus and part of the student body. The site location
helps with that goal. Rather than being located on the far corner of campus, the
site we are using for the new International Programs building is on the main,
thriving thoroughfare of Spring Garden Street, near the entrance of campus. Pedestrian
and bike traffic pass by throughout the day, as well as vehicular traffic entering
campus from Aycock Ave.
After reviewing the Master Plan for UNCG’s campus, we decided to focus on
integrating our building with the existing site. We wanted to leave the
existing sloping topography intact as much as possible and to design in concert
with the surrounding land. This has been highlighted in previous Master Plans
as a goal of the overall campus design. We also wanted to create an active
social area for students (international and non-international) to gather and
spend time, even in the evening after business hours. This is another attempt
to immerse international students in the college experience at UNCG by making
it as easy and convenient as possible to socialize with other students.
Towards this goal of immersion, our design concepts
incorporate two separate gathering spaces: one is a centralized courtyard with
tables and chairs, and the second is a green roof where people can gather in a
park-like setting. As well as using earth on the top of the structure to create
an exterior event space, we also wanted our design to be surrounded by the
earth to insulate it. We are aiming for our design to be as “green” as possible
in hopes of meeting the college’s goal for all new buildings of achieving LEED
Silver certification.
During our design process we have made multiple “sketch
models” in order to explore various forms for the structure. Because of the
limited size of the site, we decided it would be best to include all the
international services in one building, rather than connecting separate adjacent
buildings. We have discussed various ways to incorporate natural light into our
design – primarily by having a façade largely composed of glass, which is in
line with the architectural style of the surrounding buildings. Also in line
with existing architecture is our decision to use brick as a predominant
construction material.
While we want our building to incorporate stylistic elements that already exist on campus, we also want it to
have a distinctive appearance that distinguishes it from the traditional form
of institutional buildings (tall and rectangular with a traditional and formal
exterior). Towards this end, we are focusing on design forms that are low to
the ground and which incorporate dramatically curving surfaces. Equally
important to this design are the voids that help to reinforce the idea of a
spherical form which reinforces the idea of a globe.
